1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a system and method for allowing vehicle occupants to chat with each other over a wireless communications link and, more particularly, to a system and method for allowing vehicle occupants to chat with each other over a wireless dedicated short range communications (DSRC) channel, where messages may be transmitted from vehicle to vehicle between chatting partners and where initiation of the chatting session may be provided by sending out a request for a discussion on a certain topic.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Traffic accidents and roadway congestion are significant problems for vehicle travel. Vehicular ad-hoc network (VANET) based active safety and driver assistance systems are known that allow a vehicle communications system to transmit messages to other vehicles in a particular area with warning messages about dangerous road conditions, driving events, accidents, etc. In these systems, multi-hop geocast routing protocols, known to those skilled in the art, are commonly used to extend the reachability of the warning messages, i.e., to deliver active messages to vehicles that may be a few kilometers away from the road condition or may not be able to hear message broadcasts due to an obstruction, as a one-time multi-hop transmission process. In other words, an initial message advising drivers of a potential hazardous road condition is transferred from vehicle to vehicle using the geocast routing protocol so that vehicles a significant distance away will receive the messages because one vehicle's transmission distance is typically relatively short or may be obstructed by some physical object.
Vehicular ad-hoc network based active safety and driver assistance systems allow a wireless vehicle communications system, such as a dedicated short range communication (DSRC) system, known to those skilled in the art, to transmit messages to other vehicles in a particular area with warning messages about driving conditions. In these systems, multi-hop geocast routing protocols, known to those skilled in the art, are commonly used to extend the reachability of the warning messages, i.e., to deliver active messages to vehicles that may be a few kilometers away, as a one-time multi-hop transmission process. In other words, an initial message advising drivers of a certain situation is transferred from vehicle to vehicle using the geocast routing protocol so that relevant vehicles a significant distance away will receive the messages where one vehicle's direct transmission distance (range) is typically relatively short.
Vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2X) applications require a minimum of one entity to send information to another entity. For example, many vehicle-to-vehicle safety applications can be executed on one vehicle by simply receiving broadcast messages from a neighboring vehicle. These messages are not directed to any specific vehicle, but are meant to be shared with a vehicle population to support the safety application. In these types of applications where collision avoidance is desirable, as two or more vehicles talk to each other and a collision becomes probable, the vehicle systems can warn the vehicle drivers, or possibly take evasive action for the driver, such as applying the brakes. Likewise, traffic control units can observe the broadcast of information and generate statistics on traffic flow through a given intersection or roadway.
The vehicle ad-hoc network communication systems discussed above have almost exclusively been used for safety applications. However, those systems can be extended to other applications, including non-safety applications.